This invention is a flush-mounted, spring-loaded, sling swivel stud designed to extend to allow the attachment of a carrying strap to a firearm or other device, and to retract when not in use.
The device used to attach sling swivels and slings to firearms (commonly known as a sling swivel stud) typically consists of an elongated plate which is secured by two screws at either end of a protruding eyelet. This plate is located on the underside of the firearm's buttstock and the eyelit serves as a securing device for one end of the carrying strap and swivel. The forward portion of the strap and the swivel is secured either with a similar stud which is housed in the forearm wood of this stock or in the form of a steel band around the circumference of the forearm and barrel or the barrel alone.
A later development consisted of a cylindrical stud which featured a dome-shaped top. This stud has a hole drilled completely through the cylindrical portion in order to accommodate the readily available, quick, detachable-type sling swivels. This is the most popular style of sling stud, due to the simplicity of installation and low cost. The rear or buttstock stud has a tapered woodscrew thread on the bottom end and may be attached by simply drilling a pilot hole in the buttstock and turning the stud into the wood while the screw tends to form threads in the softer wood. The forward stud is installed by drilling completely through the underside of the forearm of the stock and into the stock barrel channel. The channel end of this hole is counterdrilled in a larger diameter and approximately onefourth inch deep in order to accept an escutcheon-type nut which is tapped or pressed into the large portion of the hole. The forward stud is threaded to mate with the escutcheon nut and the stud is turned into the stock forearm.
The aforementioned type of stud is serviceable and practical; however, it has obvious disadvantages. The buttstock stud may (due to the expansion and contractions of the wood as well as constant pressure of carrying the firearm) strip the self-formed threads of the softer wood. This creates a complicated and costly repair. When the sling is removed (for storing, showing the firearm, etc.), this type of stud remains visible and unsightly. This type of protruding stud causes snagging on various objects (clothes, upholstery, gun cases, saddle scabbards, etc.) by virtue of the design. Studs mounted on the rifle forearm that protrude from the stock can also cause bodily injury due to the painful blow received as the rifle recoils--particularly on rifles having heavy recoil.
All other sling swivel stud assemblies, which leave no protrusion on the gunstock when the sling and its swivels are removed, do not leave attractive, totally flush surfaces. They have holes which allow for the ingress of dirt and other foreign matter which can accumulate and interfere with their function.
The solution, then, is a flush-mounted, retractable swivel stud that will eliminate the aforementioned problems and as this one does, and even complements the appearance of the firearm.